


Part of the Family

by twist_and_scream



Series: Learning As They Go [2]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: And is overwhelmed, F/M, Jaal's Family, Meeting the Parents, Pie, Sahuna is Best Mom, Scott Ryder meets his new family, Undertones of Prejudice, Visit to Havarl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 05:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10587375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twist_and_scream/pseuds/twist_and_scream
Summary: Jaal and Jaime Ryder take her brother to visit  Jaal's family, and Scott is entirely overwhelmed. But in the end, chaos can be absolutely perfect.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I am woefully incapable of making things short. Sorry.
> 
> I also added a mother to explore Jaal's family dynamic- Jaal says he has 5, the game only mentions 3 by name, so this is a potential fourth one.
> 
> I hope people enjoy!

Taking a deep breath of unfiltered air, Ryder reached out to brush one of the Havarl plant species she knew wasn’t toxic. The jungle still surrounded the buildings with dense foliage and vocal wildlife, but the activation of the vault had stabilized the planet enough to keep the angara’s homes from being consumed by the forests. Scott struggled not to gawk at the multitudes of angara. Scott had seen angara mingling in the colonies on Eos, Elaaden, and Meridian, but this was his first visit to an angara world without familiar Milky Way species to give him comfort.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jaal asked Scott when he saw Scott glancing around. “Aya is more beautiful on the surface, but this, _this_ is home.”

Ryder could tell that Scott was trying to agree and settling on disagreeing. Scott and Ryder had grown up on the Citadel, and the jungle of Havarl was a stark contrast to the glittering towers, artificial lakes, and bustling shuttles. Scott nodded when Jaal was watching, stumbling closer to Jaime at a squall from the bluff at the edge of the buildings.

“What the hell was that?!”

“Probably a Rylkor,” Jaal tilted his head to listen. “We don't need to worry, it’s farther away than it sounds.”

“What’s a Rylkor?” Scott whispered to Jaime.

“Think T-Rex, but not extinct, and _definitely_ not friendly,” Ryder explained bitterly. “They don’t usually come this far in.”

Scott didn’t look convinced, reaching for his gun and drifting closer to Jaime and Jaal to be safe. Catching sight of a Resistance fighter starting to glower, Ryder smacked her brother’s hand away from his weapon and bowed apologetically. Ryder realized that she had stopped fighting the urge to draw her weapons at the sounds of Havarl. That was either a very good sign, or a very bad one. Linking her arm with Jaal’s, Ryder would call it a good sign while they were in the safety of the buildings.

“My family is looking forward to meeting you, Scott,” Jaal called back. “Not all of them, of course.”

“Um,” Scott gulped and looked at Jaime for help. “Sorry about that? What did Jaime tell them?”

“No, no, no, not all of them are _meeting_ you,” Jaal explained apologetically. “Many of them have responsibilities in the Resistance and keeping them on Aya. I will introduce you another time.”

“Oh, whew,” Scott mimed wiping sweat off his forehead, cracking his knuckles in genuine nervousness behind Jaal’s back.

Jaal smiled at Ryder proudly, pulling her closer to make way for a group of angara strolling past them. Many of the angara smiled and nodded, others offering a wave, pat, or short greeting to Jaal and Jaime. Ryder smiled and waved at all of them, reminding herself to acknowledge the gestures where she would have casually ignored them from humans as a mindless gesture. 

There were other gestures Ryder was learning she had to ignore. Whispers with a cutting edge, jealous mutters and cold glares at her hand in Jaal’s. The kind salutations usually overwhelmed the glimpses of resentment, but Ryder never entirely shook the sensation that she was a _vesagara_.

“You’re quite the exhibit around here,” Scott was noticing too, grimacing at an angara grumbling at Ryder before stomping away. “Ok…”

“Not everyone approves of the presence of aliens in our community,” Jaal explained. “There are still some who see you as unwelcome invaders.”

“I can understand that,” Scott admitted, copying Ryder’s small salute to a male walked past. “You weren't expecting us, and we weren’t expecting to find people already here.”

“Yes…that is what we find concerning,” Jaal mumbled with a slight bite of criticism. “If you believed 'your' Golden Worlds could support life, would you not expect things to be _living_ on them?”

“Er,” Scott squirmed. “Yeah, you’ve got me there.”

“And most of us are glad of it, after the fight with the kett,” Jaal comforted more amicably. “But we still wonder where to put all of you…”

Scott opened his mouth to correct Jaal, slowly closing it when Ryder shook her head. The distribution of Initiative colonists was still a sensitive topic for most angara, Jaal included. Colonists were eager to get out of cryo and set down roots on new worlds, while the angara were making plans to re-expand onto the worlds the Scourge had taken from them. Jaal, Evfra and Moshae Sjefa had been working closely with the Pathfinders to discuss the distribution of habitable words in the hopes of establishing sovereign colonies like New Tuchanka, but progress was slow and uncertain while Addison, Tann, and Kesh got increasingly impatient.

“There’s gotta be some planets we can divvy up,” Scott innocently guessed. “We can terraform them faster if we work together. Especially if we use the vaults.”

“That is true,” Jaal agreed flatly.

“Maybe we don’t discuss this in the middle of the angara homeworld?” Ryder suggested between the two of them.

“No. Perhaps not,” Jaal punctuated.

Ryder sighed in relief to leave the topic behind, smiling when Jaal stroked her hair and kept his arm around her shoulder in spite of the mutterings. The question would not be solved here, and Ryder's mother had always warned them not to discuss politics or religion if they wanted to keep the atmosphere light at gatherings. It might be, no, it was selfish, Ryder knew, but she wanted to enjoy a break today.

Jaal’s stride lengthened as they reached the block of buildings that held his home. Ryder could feel herself already grinning with excitement.  Scott smiled tentatively before looking terrified at the thought of what awaited him.  Jaal threw open the door, calling gladly, “Mother!”

“Jaal!” a chorus of excited voices clamored over themselves.

“Oh, _wow_ ," Scott faltered at the doorstep until Ryder dragged him into the house.

Sahuna ran out from the internal rooms, throwing her arms around Jaal while her son was still laughing. Ryder stepped back to let Sahuna pat Jaal fretfully while Kasuutar, Vaasana and Feladyr lined up behind her to take their turn. Siblings and cousins poured after them, surrounding Jaal and Ryder with loud enthusiasm. Scott’s eyes widened in shock as he ducked into a shadowy corner by the door for safety.

“Hey, human,” Baranjj cuffed Ryder lightly on the head as he greeted her.

“Good to see you,” Lathoul added with a strong hug and a fond smile. The young angara had walked off his sister’s gunshot with impressive grace and quickly become one of Ryder’s favorite brothers. “How is…your crew? Are they doing well?”

“Peebee said she’ll make it next time,” Ryder assured. “She promises.”

Lathoul stuttered hasty justifications through a bashful smile. Peebee and the young angara had started a flirtation after they brought the siblings home from the Roekaar, and the affection had started to stick. On Lathoul's part at least, Ryder kept to herself and decided to wait and see where things went before she hurt Peebee or Lathoul's feelings. Koana herded her children away from pointing at Ryder’s head while Finn pounced from behind and picked Ryder off the floor with his hug. Ryder’s laugh was crushed out of her by the angara’s strong arms squeezing her until a rib popped.

“Oof, your arm’s better!” Ryder noticed through a wheeze, wiggling in the hopes that Jaal would notice and intervene.

“Finn, Finn!” Koana came to her rescue. “You’re hurting her!”

“Ah, sorry!” Finn dropped Ryder instantly, holding his arms away from her and frantically looking her over for damage. “I forget, your bodies aren’t as robust as angara.”

Ryder caught her breath quickly, tackling Finn while he still looked worried. Finn’s laugh shook the entire room as he pretended to stumble back from the embrace.

“Is it always a madhouse like this?” Scott asked, ducking back and almost out the door.

“Always,” Ryder said gratefully, hugging Koana as the frazzled mother ran to grab her daughter before the child could undo Ryder’s holster. 

“Mother, I’m doing well,” Jaal soothed all of them without resisting his mothers’ communal prodding. 

“Do you need more nutrient paste?” Kasuutar asked disapprovingly. “Alone on that ship, without food…”

“I am not alone!” Jaal laughed loudly. “And I have a large store, more than enough, even for emergencies.”

“We’ll stock up while we’re here, just to be safe. I’ve heard Jaal’s stomach growl, we don’t want that,” Ryder promised the women, earning smiles from all of them and an embarrassed cough from Jaal.

Ryder rested her cheek on Sahuna’s shoulder throughout Sahuna’s tight embrace. It seemed as if three days couldn’t pass without an email from Jaal’s mother. She remembered everything, but always had more questions between her words of encouragement. Leaning back, Sahuna cupped Ryder’s face between her hands, exclaiming, “You look tired! You must be tired! We’re keeping you from your work!”

“No, I love coming here,” Ryder pulled Sahuna into a second hug and could feel Sahuna smiling through her entire body. “Thank you.”

Sahuna beamed at Ryder’s compliment, stepping aside to let Vaasana and Feladyr join her. Feladyr squeezed Ryder tightly before Vaasana brushed Ryder’s uniform straight and patted her cheek warmly. Kasuutar hung back, hugging Ryder around the shoulders briskly and drawing back amidst her children without a word. Sahuna stroked Ryder’s arm apologetically, sharing a stern look with Kasuutar and turning Ryder towards their son firmly.

“We have more guests!” Jaal announced, wrapping his arm around Ryder’s waist and looking over his shoulder. “We have brought Ryder’s brother, Scott!”

Jaal threw his arm out to indicate Scott grandly, and Scott froze as every eye in the room turned on him. Ryder could feel Jaal vibrating from quiet laughter as his family descended on Scott as one. Part of it was ceremony more than genuine curiosity for another human at this point, but Ryder saw the younger angara whisper and point at Scott’s stubble and the hair on his arms. 

“Where are the others?” Teviint sneered doubtfully.

“Ryder has only one sibling,” Jaal informed to a unified hush. “Human families have very few children. Two members of our crew, Cora and Liam, have no siblings at all.”

The angara family gasped to one another in shared horror at such a plight. Ryder smiled at all of them, promising, “Scott makes enough trouble for ten younger brothers, trust me.”

“I’m just as old as she is,” Scott corrected frantically, squaring his shoulders as Baranjj approached him.“To the day.”

Jaal straightened in anticipation as his brother peered at Scott while Teviint squinted suspiciously. Baranjj treated Ryder well, and Teviint had achieved amicable under Jaal’s watch, but Akksul’s teachings still colored the siblings’ perspective. 

“He looks like a female,” Baranjj decided neutrally, gesturing to Scott’s shoulders and waist in comparison to Jaime’s.

“Baranjj, please,” Feladyr chided.

“I’m a pretty typical human ‘male,’” Scott looked Baranjj straight in the face and preened jokingly. “Even heard that I’m a good looking one.”

“Huh,” Baranjj snorted in annoyance. “I wouldn’t know.”

Rocking on his feet and stealing a look at Ryder in Jaal’s embrace, Baranjj extended his arm to Scott. Scott stared uncertainly, and Baranjj shoved his fist towards Scott more aggressively. 

Scott tapped his forearm against Baranjj’s firmly, glancing at Jaal. Jaal smiled proudly. It was a simple gesture, but Jaal had insisted Scott learn it as soon as he joined the crew. Drawing Ryder in front of him, Jaal rested his chin on the top of her head as he monitored his combative siblings.Scott exhaled slowly in relief as Baranjj walked away, cutting Teviint off when she bristled at Scott’s slouched body language. Sahuna strode amongst her family, stopping in front of Scott confidently.

“We’re so glad to finally meet you,” Sahuna stretched her arms forward tentatively. “Thank you for coming here.”

Jaal smiled proudly while Ryder flashed her brother a thumbs up as soon as Scott hugged Sahuna energetically. The tension in the room eased a fraction in response to Sahuna’s acceptance of another human in their midst. 

“I should be thanking you,” Scott insisted. “For taking care of Jaime. She’s told me a lot about you. Sahuna, right?”

Sahuna glowed with pride, pulling her nearest child forward to introduce to Scott. Ryder leaned her head back against Jaal’s shoulder as she watched her brother mumbling the barrage of names to himself as Sahuna and Feladyr pointed out each family member in detail. 

“Scott is doing well,” Jaal whispered. “Better than I expected.”

“Me too,” Ryder laughed. “But, it’s still early.”

“Oh dear,” Jaal chuckled, unfazed by Ryder’s sarcasm.

Ryder rested her arms over Jaal’s as she watched her brother. Scott had refused to be left behind on this visit. He had heard stories from Jaal since the first time Jaime had introduced them, and had grown tired of second hand stories. Turning and twisting to keep up with barrage of names, Scott alternated between smiling and grim seriousness as he tried to keep the relatives straight. Sahuna kept a hand on his arm, silently nudging cousins and siblings back in the line to reintroduce them and smile when Scott sank into a more confident stance as he achieved recognition.

“Your mother, your true mother, brings out the best in everyone, doesn’t she?” Ryder asked so only Jaal would hear.

“Yes, she does,” Jaal said reverently. “And, she adores you. She wants Scott to feel welcome.”

Ryder could tell she was blushing for the compliment. Sahuna seemed to adore everyone, but Ryder had started to treasure the motherly affection Sahuna showed her. The warm feeling dimmed when Ryder caught sight of Kasuutar at the edge of the crowd, considering Scott unhappily. Kasuutar had never confronted Ryder directly at the family gatherings, but she always kept her distance and worried after Jaal with an overtly aggressiveness that Sahuna lacked. With two sons lost to the kett and a daughter who had last been seen in Kadara Port, Ryder couldn’t blame her. 

“Kasuutar is trying. She has learned not to trust too easily,” Jaal murmured in Ryder’s ear. 

“Should we leave?” Ryder tipped to watch Jaal’s expression. “I don’t want to make things worse.”

“No,” Jaal linked his hands over Ryder’s waist securely. “That is not how trust is built. Think of where you and I would be, if I had let distrust keep me from joining the mission.”

“I’d rather not,” Jaime snuggled into Jaal’s shoulder at the unpleasant thought.

“Nor would I,” Jaal admitted and arched his chest forward to support Ryder's lean on him.

Pecking Jaal on the cheek to comfort both of them, Ryder shivered at the thought. Without the aid the angara had given the Nexus, the kett would still be rampaging through Helius while the arks remained scattered and the Nexus limped on its last legs. Without Jaal…Ryder shook her head, rejecting the thought.

“I’m happy to stay,” Ryder promised. Scott shook out his arm from another strong knock from Jaal’s uncle, catching Ryder’s eyes pleadingly. “But maybe we should help Scott?”

“Oh. Yes,” Jaal noticed Scott turning around in desperation.“Scott,would you like to see our collection of kett weapons? My aunt and I use them for research.”

“And then the Resistance uses them for shooting kett,” Bavsil clapped Jaal on the shoulder proudly.

“Jaal took apart his first kett weapon when he was only seven,” Feladyr boasted to Scott.

“But he didn’t put it back together until he was twelve!” Finn roared, drawing laughter from the entire room.

Ryder laughed along with them without hesitation, but pulled a straight face when she sensed an electric prickle of defensive embarrassment through Jaal's skin. Jaal drew his hands away from her waist quickly, grabbing Finn and tussling with him as their family cheered and goaded them. Scott started to smile, chuckling along with Jaal’s cousins and watching the impromptu wrestling match with interest. Scott yelped when Jaal’s cousin hauled him back from Jaal shoving Finn away before diving into another tackle.

“They tend to knock things over,” Koana instructed with experienced tolerance. “They’d bowl you over, human. Scott.”

Finn tossed Jaal off and slung him over his shoulder to the floor, standing over Jaal until his brother sat up. Jaal shook himself off, accepting Finn’s hand up with a fond growl. Sahuna patted both of her sons’ shoulders to end the ‘fight’, turning to the Ryder twins expectantly.

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Sahuna clasped her hands. “I have tried something, if you need food.”

“Oh, that’s not-“

“We would love some,” Ryder elbowed Scott in the stomach. Scott studied his sister unhappily but nodded and smiled.

Sahuna waved them to a table in the living quarters, weaving a way through the crowd of her family effortlessly. Jaal shouldered his way at the front to clear a path for his visitors, taking a seat beside Ryder with Scott on Ryder’s other side. Sahuna placed her hands on Ryder’s shoulders, explaining, “I tried a new recipe.”

Scott’s smile shook at the idea. Peebee had tricked him into eating a mouthful of angaran nutrient paste his first full week aboard the Tempest, and he was still sulking at her. Vaasana joined Sahuna as she scurried into the kitchen excitedly. Kasuutar waited in the doorway, nodding in recognition when she caught Ryder looking at her.

“Sahuna worked very hard,” Kasuuta informed coldly. “We aren’t used to making food for…aliens.”

_Vesagara_ , Kasuutar’s expression said, though no one outside the Roekaar would be crude enough to use that term. Scott looked at Jaime out of the corner of his eye, explaining conversationally, “Jaal’s been working with our scientist, Dr. Anwar, to see if nutrient paste could work for humans. Using our own supplies, of course.”

“Suvi has been very eager,” Jaal chuckled invitingly, taking Ryder’s hand under the table and resting their joined hands on the tabletop. “Sometimes too eager.”

“I see,” Kasuutar sounded unimpressed but smiled stiffly at Jaal’s statement. “Yes, your scientists are very eager to learn our secrets.”

Scott’s eyes brows jumped and he angrily leaned forward to respond, cutting off at a kick from Ryder. Turning the lean into propping his chin on his hand as he waited, Scott folded his lips tightly to keep his mouth shut. Jaal tousled Jaime’s hair as Kasuutar watched. It was enough to get Ryder’s stomach back in place. Sahuna bustled back with Vaasana, holding two plates to Vaasana’s one and placing them in front of Jaime and Scott carefully.

“I made my own adjustments,” Sahuna brushed off her hands. “Perhaps you and Jaal will be able to eat this together.”

Scott’s expression said ‘no’, but Ryder could see that Sahuna had been practicing her pie making skills. The crust was hard and even this time, with all of the filling contained mostly to the pastry. The sweet smell of apples mixed with a heavy layer of cinnamon. The golden apples soaked in too much syrup, but Sahuna had thickened the filling with a helping nutrient paste. Ryder dabbed her finger in the yellow, brown, and purplish-grey mixture as a test. The ingredients naturally oozed together, defying Ryder's attempt to find it appetizing. 

“It’s safe for you, we made sure,” Vaasana assured while she set down Jaal’s plate and dispensed small spoons.

“Yay?” Scott poked the pie doubtfully and held up the spoon to watch the mixture drip down the surface. 

Jaal looked similarly perturbed when Sahuna’s back was turned. Ryder’s tongue turned on itself in spite of the sweet smell. Nutrient paste smelled heavenly, but tasted cloyingly sweet with a chokingly bitter aftertaste. Kasuutar drifted to stand with Sahuna and Vaasana as the three mothers watched them hopefully.

“Where did you get supplies for this?” Ryder had to ask, taking a scoop and bracing herself.

"It took some time," Kasuutar revealed critically.

“The nutrient paste is from Aya,” Vaasana evaded.

“We started increasing trade with the science teams,” Sahuna added unabashedly. “Andwith Kadara Port.”

“Smuggling?” Jaal blanched in shock. “Mother…”

“No, no,” Sahuna waved away the idea. “The Initiative has started trading through Kadara.”

“Reyes did say legitimate traders were starting to set up,” Ryder comforted Jaal. “Thank you, Sahuna.”

Ryder held her breath and shoved the spoon of apples and greyish paste into her mouth next to Jaal. The applies were tart and spicy from the strong cinnamon, mixing with the grainy texture of the sweet paste that bled into bitter. Ryder chewed slowly, pushing the paste to the back of her mouth and biting into the apple to wash the taste down. The texture left something to be desired, but the juice of the apple, crunch of crust, and spice hid the worst of the nutrient paste’s pitfalls.Ryder took another bite, careful to get more apple than paste, and swallowed confidently.

Jaal licked his mouth next to her, smacking his lips experimentally before taking another bite.Poking the apples around the plate until they were coated in nutrient paste, Jaal popped the spoon into his mouth contentedly. Scott poked at his slice without change, forcing himselfto take a small bite and grimaced behind his hand at the taste.

“Is it better?” Sahuna asked nervously.

Ryder nodded, digging into the pie with a sense of confidence. The paste was still unsavory, but she finished the slice quickly so the taste wouldn’t stick in her mouth. Jaal ate just as quickly, licking a smear of paste off his spoon as he finished.

“I’ll see if Vetra can get us the ingredients,” Ryder praised, leaning back in her chair to hug Sahuna. “Thank you, I don’t know how you did this.”

“Days of work,” Kasuutar replied.

“And I am glad,” Sahuna finished while she rested a hand on Ryder and Jaal's shoulders.

Kasuutar scoffed dismissively. Lowering her eyes when Vaasana and Sahuna neared her, Kasuuta stomped away. Scott stirred his pie sharply, setting his spoon to the side of the plate before Ryder had to nudge him forbiddingly. Getting angry over Kasuutar's old scars wouldn't help anyone.

“I should go talk with her,” Jaal decided, stacking his plate on Ryder’s and his spoon with hers. “Excuse me.”

“Jaal,” Ryder tried to catch Jaal’s hand. 

“This will not take long,” Jaal assured. Sharing a nod with Sahuna and stroking the back of Ryder's hand with is thumb before he pulled his hand away, Jaal caught Kasuutar with a gentle hand on her arm. Kasuutar's harsh expression softened as she listened to her son and fell in step with him as Jaal led her away. 

Ryder studied the smear of paste across her plate guiltily. They should have left when Kasuutar had backed away from her. Sahuna and the mothers would have had a good time showing them the walkways of Havarl. Scott pushed his plate towards Ryder stealthily, smacking his hands on the table and asking Vaasana, “Jaal and…Koana and…Finn…said something about kett weapons? Sounds like a party.”

“We call it an armory,” Vaasana corrected kindly, resting a hand on Scott’s back as she ushered him into the other room.

“Right. Sounds like one kick ass armory,” Scott nodded.

Ryder smiled at Sahuna and dug into her brother’s slice of pie. Sahuna had strived to bridge the rift between the angara and the Initiative since their arrival, and the thought of sharing a meal with Jaal made the pie taste even better. Sahuna stroked Ryder’s hair slowly and took a seat in Jaal’s vacant chair.

“Kasuutar doesn’t mean to be cruel,” Sahuna explained. “She fears losing her children.”

“The exiles didn’t make a good impression,” Ryder agreed knowingly.

“Not just to war and death,” Sahuna corrected sadly. “Our children leave home as they grow, scatter to Voeld, Aya, and even Kadara, but we know they are with family there as well. Even in the Resistance, they face the kett with family. You travel the galaxy, discovering new worlds, and the new dangers with them.Kasuutar fears that we will lose Jaal to these new worlds and journeys, far away from where our family can keep him safe.”

Sahuna smiled warmly at Ryder and patted her hand. Ryder wiped pie off her mouth to hide the twist in her stomach. It was true that they risked their lives every time they landed on a new world, and went farther afield with each month of searching. Listening to the chatter and scuffling from the house around them, Ryder’s mouth soured at the thought of an angara house unified in grief.

“Jaal would never let that happen,” Ryder knew for certain, adding just as strongly, “ _I_ would…I won’t let that happen, Sahuna.”

“I know,” Sahuna squeezed Ryder’s hand confidently. “Kasuutar will understand eventually.”

Sahuna sounded certain. Ryder tried to soak in that feeling through her swimming stomach. She couldn’t promise that Jaal would come home from every conflict, no matter how hard she strove to ensure that her entire crew was alive at the end of the day. With the kett still waiting in the shadows, Kasuutar could be proven right. Sahuna stroked Ryder’s hair out of her eyes, insisting, “This is what Jaal wants. He will make Kasuutar see.” 

Ryder nodded in agreement, hugging Sahuna across the chair.

“Thank you, Sahuna,” Ryder rested her cheek against Sahuna’s. “And…and for the pie, it’s amazing.”

“That’s what mothers are for,” Sahuna laughed softly in surprise.

Ryder giggled to hide a sniff of joy and relief. Sahuna always knew what to say,seemingly without trying. Sahuna patted Ryder’s back lovingly, restoring the sense of comfort Ryder always found in Jaal’s home.

“This sounds…unwise,” Lathoul commented from the next room. “What is the point?”

“It’s like your handshake,” Scott explained. “We’re just gonna jump and bump our chests together.”

“Why?” Lathoul sounded plainly flabbergasted.

“It’s a sign of friendship,” Scott reasoned. “Respect.”

“Oh _no_ ,” Ryder sprang up from her seat, apologizing as she went, “I’m sorry, I have to stop him.”

“Is he alright?” Sahuna rushed to follow.

“He’s fine!” Ryder insisted, adding to herself, “Just stupid…”

Ryder rushed into the main living room just as Lathoul and Scott squared off. Lathoul frowned down at Scott and Scott grinned and puffed out his chest as he jumped into Lathoul. 

“Scott, you don’t-“

Lathoul barely hopped forward, but Ryder heard Lathoul’s ribs and chest bones crash against Scott’s breastbone just before Scott flew backwards. Scott landed on his back hard, gasping up at the ceiling and cupping his chest protectively as the wind was knocked out of him. Ryder pushed her way through the onlookers to grab him, caught between asking if he was alright and scolding him for being an idiot.

“What the hell, Scott?!” she compromised. “You’ve _seen_ Jaal’s chest!”

“You broke him, Lathoul,” Teviint leaned down to look at Scott curiously.

“He said it was harmless,” Lathoul joined her with a nervous squawk.

“It is, he’s fine,” Ryder pulled her brother’s shoulders to get him to sit upright.

Scott coughed and blew air out in a rush, the frantic snorts merging into a shuddering chuckle. Ryder smacked Scott’s shoulder as her brother managed to sit up and laugh, nodding to Lathoul apologetically and wheezing, “I deserved that…Waah.”

Reaching towards Lathoul, Scott clasped the angara’s hand strongly as Lathoul hauled him to his feet.Lathoul grumbled tensely, poking Scott experimentally and starting to smile when Scott shouldered him off with a grin. Massaging his chest gingerly, Scott coughed, “Remind me to never go toe to toe with you guys.”

“Don’t go toe to toe with us, human,” Baranjj advised seriously despite his frown at the phrase.

“Yeah…yeah, I deserved that too,” Scott cleared his throat.

“You’re an idiot,” Ryder picked herself up and smacked Scott’s shoulder.

“And that,” Scott conceded, blocking Ryder’s next swat. “But not that. Hey!”

The angara started to mumble approvingly as Ryder ducked under Scott’s feigned punch and circled to smack him on the back. Scott grunted, prodding at his chest. Ryder hooked her hand in his elbow to keep him from stumbling. Vaasana and Sahuna shooed their children away from the siblings, clearing the room just as Jaal and Kasuutar returned.

“Think I’m gonna get some air,” Scott pointed to the door hurriedly at the sight of Kasuutar’s crossed arms.

“Alright, you big baby,” Ryder gladly took advantage of the escape. “Let’s go. We’ll be right back.”

“Do you need something?” Vaasana called. 

“Medigel?” Jaal suggested.

“Nope, just need to give Scott time to get over himself,” Ryder hauled Scott out the door before they had to answer anymore questions. Propping Scott against the porch railing, Ryder ordered. “Let me see.”

Rolling his eyes through a wince, Scott pulled up the tail of his shirt and looked down. Lathoul’s bones had raised two large welts on each side of Scott’s breast bone that were already beginning to darken into bruises. Poking the bruises experimentally, Scott grunted as he discovered that they hurt as much as he had expected.

“Do you need medigel?” Ryder resisted the urge to poke them too.

“Nah…maybe,” Scott admitted. “I didn’t feel anything crack, other than-“

“Your pride?” Ryder teased, sitting against the railing. Snarky Scott was reassuring.

Scott snickered sarcastically, leaning on the railing and looking down at the milling angara in the square. Tugging his shirt straight self-consciously, Scott looked at his sister sideways, observing, “They really do live all together, huh? I thought Jaal was kidding about that.”

“Nope. One big, _big_ , happy family,” Ryder replied.

“And I thought it was bad when you and I had to share a room when we were ten,” Scott thought aloud. Smirking at the memory, Scott elbowed his sister in the ribs. “But you look happy here. Your face is gonna hurt after all this smiling, it's not used to it.”

“Ha ha,” Ryder groused, grinning manically at Scott to prove him wrong. 

Hugging herself against the light breeze, Ryder turned to look at the square with Scott. She could just begin picking out families from the mixing crowd. She saw mothers grabbing children while uncles and aunts corralled wanderers, and couples of true parents passing their young ones to waiting family. This was the hub of angara life: their families and their children weaving together to form an unbreakable community.

“Ok, _that’s_ the Jaime face I know,” Scott tweaked Ryder’s nose to break her frown. “What’s up? You’re not letting Ka…Ka-“

“Kasuutar.”

“Kasuutar, get to you,” Scott said the name slowly and carefully as he committed it to memory. “If Jaal’s other mothers liked you any better, they’d never let you leave. That’s pretty good, most people don’t get along with their in-laws that well.”

“Yeah…” Ryder admitted gratefully. “But I get why she’s worried. We risk our necks every day. Shot by kett, slammed or spit at by every animal we come across, hell, if Kallo or Gil slip up with the ship-“

“Fat chance.”

“I know, but _if_ ,” Ryder continued. “It’s gotta be scary, having your son run off with some alien.”

“That he’s crazy about.”

"Thanks,” Ryder leaned her chin on her hands and watched a child swing on a guard rail carelessly. “But it’s more than that. Even if we retire _tomorrow_ , who knows if we can come back and live here? Together, I mean.”

“So you ask Addison and Tann to pull some strings,” Scott insisted. “It’s the least they can do.”

“And then everyone wants a pass, I can’t do that,” Ryder sighed. “But this is Jaal’s home. I can’t ask Jaal to give up this, too.”

“Too?” Scott cocked an eyebrow at Ryder’s defeated sigh.

Ryder twisted her hair through her fingers as she watched the families below them. Never bring up politics, religion, or cross-species reproduction, Ryder amended her mother’s list.

“Family isn’t just a group or 'see at Christmas thing to angara, it’s a cornerstone of their culture-fathers, and mothers, and kids, all together,” Ryder explained. “But we’re flying blind. I haven’t even gotten rid of my procreation blockers yet, but what are the odds my human stuff can handle-“

“Too much info, sis.”

“An angaran fetus?” Ryder finished. “I mean, Lexi said we could try a surrogate, but angara wouldn’t think of it as ‘just a surrogate,’ Jaal had never heard of such a thing, and even if we use an asari, assuming asari _can_ reproduce with angara, it’ll still be an _asari_ baby…with angara bits in it.”

“So you co-parent the hell out of the other kids,” Scott comforted. “There’s plenty to go around.”

“Some angara couples do that, but it...I can’t _ask_ that of Jaal,” Ryder dropped her voice. “He says it doesn’t matter, that we have work now and’ll figure it out as we go, but if we don’t? That’s…big.”

Ryder bit her lip and looked at the crowds below instead of her brother. Scott probably didn’t want to hear about it. It was a useless internal debate Ryder had with herself every time she came here and forced herself to put to the side before it drove her mad.

“You’ve thought a lot about this,” Scott realized in surprise. “You. Miss ‘I don’t think we can work, he asked me to leave my toothbrush at his place’, you?”

Ryder forced herself to laugh at Scott’s reminder. Pregnancy, kids, even marriage had always seemed so distant back home; they were always working or preparing for another mission. Ryder’s relationships had been comparatively short and sporadic, and she rarely thought about the future beyond the unlikely milestone of an anniversary. She wasn’t seeing anything in her and Jaal’s immediate future, but the ideas were getting harder and harder to shake, and Ryder wasn’t sure she wanted to shake them.

“He’s…he’s my taoshay,” Ryder tried to explain. “I want him to have everything. I want _us_ to have everything we can.”

Scott blinked at the angara word but accepted the explanation with a nod. Scratching at his chest forgetfully and wincing for the mistake, Scott exhaled slowly. Smiling to himself, Scott slung his arm over Ryder’s shoulders.

“I think,” Scott thought aloud slowly. “That if anyone can find a loophole in biology and make an angara-human…thing-“

“Baby.”

“Right, one of those,” Scott confirmed encouragingly. “Then it’s probably gonna be you and Jaal. And SAM. And Lexi. Maybe with some help from an angara scientist or two. And Sahuna. Or you’ll just do it ‘cause you’re too stubborn to take ‘no’ as an answer, even from your own body. I mean, you give death the finger on a weekly basis, which, by the way, _stop doing that_. Dying, I mean, not…Anyway, then I’ll get to be an uncle and Baranjj will stop looking at me like I’m some sad weirdo.”

Scott grinned with determination until Ryder was forced to smile back. Scott was even less of a biologist than Drack, but her brother always knew how to bolster her spirits with his. The scientists in Heleus were making new discoveries every day. By the time Ryder and Jaal were ready to settle down, anything could be possible. Ryder decided to believe that until proven otherwise.

“There we go,” Scott pointed at the corners of his sister’s mouth. “That’s the ‘Jaal’ face you always get.”

“Shut up, I do not,” Ryder tried to wipe her grin off. “And Baranjj _does_ think you’re a sad weirdo.”

“Oh no,” Scott gasped sarcastically. “I’ll go on somehow.”

Ryder pinched Scott’s side just as the door opened behind them and Jaal appeared, looking between the siblings nervously. Scott tugged Ryder’s hair behind her back and asked, “Lathoul ok after that?”

“Lathoul is fine,” Jaal shook his head at Scott in disbelief. “ _You_ are very foolish.”

“We'll get it eventually,” Scott grinned, rolling his shoulder self-importantly. “I'll just hit his chest lower.”

Rolling his eyes at Scott and grumbling in his throat in exasperation, Jaal turned to Ryder and reached for her hands. Wiping off her palms to be safe, Ryder took Jaal’s hands and teasingly yanked him towards her. Scott pretended to gag at the two of them, jabbing a finger into his mouth when Ryder pulled Jaal in for a kiss.

“You don’t have to watch,” Jaal informed Scott, resting his hand on the back of Ryder’s neck when she leaned away. “I was worried.”

“Scott’s a dumbass, that’s all,” Ryder promised. “We’ll come back in.”

Jaal shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Pulling Ryder to him, Jaal cleared his throat as he thought.

“Or…not?”

“No, please, do,” Jaal protested. “It is…my mothers…and I, my mothers and I, were wondering…if you would like to stay. The night. Here. Until morning.”

Jaal grated in his throat nervously while his fingers brushed over Ryder’s skin and left tingling trails of static. 

“It is late, and we have more than enough bedding for you,” Jaal continued quickly. “And some food. Apples. And…pie. For breakfast.”

Jaal fidgeted desperately, and Ryder smothered a jump from a sharp static shock. Scott covered his mouth and coughed loudly before cradling his ribs. Ryder stepped into Jaal to calm him, starting tentatively, “Of course we would, if your family really doesn’t mind.”

“The mothers are in agreement,” Jaal rubbed Ryder’s neck and shoulders carefully. “And my siblings and cousins are already squabbling over who will sleep closest to you. It will be me, but I will let them have their fun.”

Ryder could feel her cheeks aching as she proved her brother infuriatingly right. Jaal’s smile matched hers under his bright eyes. Ryder leaned her head into Jaal’s chest and reveled in the tingle of excitement that had replaced the sharp nervousness on Jaal’s skin.

“Scott?” Ryder asked without caring what he answered.

“I already said yes,” Scott announced to both of them loudly. 

“Ryder?” Jaal asked into Ryder’s hair indulgently.

“Yes. Yes, yes,” Ryder sighed. “That sounds wonderful.”

“Good,” Jaal boomed joyfully. 

Ryder could barely keep herself from skipping as Jaal led them back into the house. The mothers were clustered together in anticipation and broke out into radiant smiles at the sight of the Ryder twins. Scott strolled amongst the cousins and siblings with only a beat of hesitation, asking loudly, “Can I have the top bunk?”

“Perhaps,” Finn met Scott in the center of the room with Baranjj and Lathoul. Sizing Scott up with a sideways smirk, Baranjj concluded, “We will find something for you, Scott Ryder.”

“I can work with that,” Scott offered Finn his arm confidently. 

Snickering approvingly, Finn tapped Scott’s arm with his and shoved Scott towards the bedrooms at the back of the house. Ryder caught Kasuutar’s eyes on her, trying to smile at the angaran woman’s blank face. Kasuutar turned her mouth up at the corners flatly, but left without another word or sneer. Sahuna cut in front of Ryder’s eyes, gushing, “I knew you would say yes. Come with me, we’ll make sure you two are comfortable.”

Ryder tried to protest as Sahuna pulled her through the house by the wrist. It was futile, and Sahuna had quickly led them to Jaal’s sanctuary. Thick pallets were lined up on the floor beside the leaning stacks of storage crates and Kasuutar straightened up from draping a blanket over them.

“Thank you,” Ryder blurted.

“Sleep well,” Kasutaar instructed simply as she pushed her way past Sahuna and Ryder to leave.

Jaal sighed in disappointment at his mother's back. Ryder tucked herself against Jaal’s side and whispered, “It’s fine,” before Jaal could follow. And it was. It wasn’t ideal, or pleasant, but Ryder wouldn’t let that spoil this evening. Sahuna spread her hands to indicate their work.

“I hope this is enough,” Sahuna folded her hands hopefully.

“It’s more than enough,” Ryder meant it. “Thank you.”

Sahuna breathed a contented sigh and hugged Jaal and Ryder in one wide embrace.

“Thank you, Mother,” Jaal gripped his true mother tightly.

“Of course. This is home,” Sahuna reminded confidently. “Stay strong and clear.”

Jaal let his mother go slowly, flushed with adoration until the door closed. Ryder straightened a stack of familiar crates and sat back on the soft padding with a thump. Jaal smiled at her playful beckon, collapsing onto his back across both pallets beside her.

“Are you sure they all agreed?” Ryder fell backwards to lie next to him. 

“Kasuutar as well,” Jaal nodded, raising his arm to prompt Ryder to snuggle against him. "They were very insistent."  


“What did you say to her?” Ryder asked before she thought.

“That you are part of my family. Among other things,” Jaal answered shortly. 

“Sorry. I’m too nosy,” Ryder stretched her legs out to intertwine with Jaal's.

“You are,” Jaal teased. “But I am glad that you are.”

Ryder whined indignantly as Jaal stood and left her to turn off the lights. Watching Ryder wiggle under the blankets to get comfortable, Jaal switched on the projection of the heavens. Accurate or not, they were the most beautiful stars that Ryder would ever see. Pulling the blankets up to let Jaal in, Ryder asked, “Will Scott be alright?”

“I told Baranjj and Finn to be gentle,” Jaal assured. “So…most likely, yes.”

Ryder laughed to herself over the blunt reassurance. Crawling up and leaning over Jaal, Ryder dropped a long kiss on his mouth.

“This is perfect,” Jaal wrapped his arms around Ryder to pull her down to his chest. “You make things perfect.”

“Not without you,” Ryder reminded. “This is mostly you. Like, nine-tenths because of you.”

“So…together, we make something whole,” Jaal decided. Resting his knuckles against Ryder's blushing cheek, Jaal mumbled through another kiss, “Yes. I like this calculation.”

“Me too,” Ryder laughed and climbed over to share Jaal’s mattress. “It’s perfect.”


End file.
